A2 Stress reactions

Numerous physiological interactions occur between the mixing partners in mixed cultures, which can lead to synergies or competitive situations. In order to make a mixed crop resilient to stress or to avoid stress caused by competition, it is therefore of the utmost importance to understand the physiological interactions between the partners in the mixture in detail. The focus of the investigations is on water use and drought stress resilience. The combination of rather shallow-rooted wheat with deep-rooted spice plants could result in a hydraulic lift, i.e. a moistening of shallower soil layers by the root system of the deep-rooted plant using the day/night transpiration rhythm.

WP 1: Drone-based assessment of water status at stand level

• Prasadi Thilanka Senadeera
• Dr. Jayan Wijesingha
• Prof. Dr. Michael Wachendorf

WP 2: Assessment of leaf water status at the individual plant level

• Katja Florschütz
• Prof. Dr. Christoph-Martin Geilfus

WP 3: Physiological and molecular interactions in mixtures

• Lukas Engelbach
• Prof. Dr. Michael Frei
• Katja Florschütz
• Prof. Dr. Christoph-Martin Geilfus